Mixing attachment for bottling mechanism



W. B. DOE.

MIXING ATTACHMENT FOR BOTTLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I. 1921.

Patented Mar. 14,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- w. B. DOE. MIXING ATTACHMENT FOR BOTTLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATTON FILED MAR- I. 1921. 1,409,836, Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mum-22 ma nual PATIENT OFFICE.

.WILLIAM is. non, on SKYLAND, NORTH CAROLINA.

MIXING ATTACHMENT FOR BOTTLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented "altar. 14:, 19722.

Application filed March 1, 1921. Serial No. 448,822.

T all whom 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that I, ,VTLLIAM 13. Don, a citizen of the United States, residing at Skyland, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mixing Attachments for Bottling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mixing apparatus or mechanism in the form of an attachment especially adapted for use in an auxiliary capacity in association with stand ard types of bottle filling and cappin ma chines which are particularly utilized in preparing, bottling and sealing corbonated beverages. The improved apparatus or attachment may also be used generally as a mixing means for any sort of contents ot a bottle or other enclosure.

In bottling carbonated beverages accord ing to general practice, the flavoring extracts or syrups and carbonated water or other liquid are separately introduced into the bottles and become stratified owing to a difference in specific gravity thereof, and the bottles" so filled or charged are required to he subsequently agitated. After the bot tlcs are filled or charged as specified they are capped or sealed and delivered by a suitable conveying device to a. pointwhere they are'individually and manually handled to mix the contents and are then packed for shipping or stored for subsequent introduction into packing cases or receptaclesj This mixing oi the contents of bottles is obviously slow and tedious and o'fttimes unreliable, and above all entails a considerable amount oi laborand expense in bottling op cratious. V

The purpose and main object of the prescnt invention is to overcome the objections heretofore present in bottling operations by obviating entirely the necessi.. v for i ndividual manual handling of the bottles for purpose or mixing the contents thereof by providing mechanism which will auto matically removethe individual bottles iron'i a conveying means and thoroughly mix the contents of the bottlesand then replace the companying drawings and will be specifically referred to hereinafter to demonstrate one practical application of the essential features and functions of: an organization of devices which are subjectto, and intended to be replaced by, any equivalent mecha nisms that may be permissible within the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of mechanism embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the mecha nism.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.

The improved mechanism is shown associated with a conveyor or belt 5 ordinarily used with standard types of bottle filling and capping machines, it being deemed an necessary to illustrate any part of the bottle filling or capping mechanism, as the latter is unaffected as to change of organization to adapt the improved apparatus or attachment mechanism thereto. The improved appara tus or attachment mechanism is disposed ad acent to the conveyor or belt5 so as to automatically displace and mix the contents of successive bottles B carried by the conveyor or belt and then replace them on the said conveyor or belt. The filled and capped bottles B are deliveredfrom the filling and capping mechanism by the conveyor or belt 5 in upright positions, as clearly shown in the drawings.

'One efiective organization of the mecha nism embodying the features of the invention comprises a base 6 having supporting uprights 7, 8. 9, 10, 11 and 12 disposed thereon at intervals and of such vertical extent as to adapt them to the particular application of other components which will be hereinafter more definitely explained. The uprights have bearings 13 and 14: on their upper ends for separate transverse shafts 15 and 16 which are independently operated by pulleys or any other analogous driving; elements 17 and 18, the shaft '16 being driven at a much faster rate oi? speed than the shaft 15. The power for driving the shafts l5 and 16 at suitable relative rates of speed may be taken from any suitable source and transmitted to the pulleys 17 and 1.8 by bolts, not

shown, and it will be observed that the pulley l8 is of much less diameter than the pulley 17 in view of the higher rate of speed to which the shaft 16 is required to be driven. Fixed on the inner extremity of the shaft 15 is a carrier 19 comprising opposite disks 20 and 21 connected by cross bolts 22 having their ends 23 projecting at the side of the lOO in accordance with the operation of the mechanism, but under ordinary coiulitions the nuts on the bolts at the front side of the machine will serve as ample pro ections to I perform the function which these projecting extremities of the bolts are adapted to serve. Each disk 20 and 21 is formed with a plurality of pockets or bottle seats 24 each having one elongated inclined wall 25 and an opposite. shorter inclined wall 26, the two walls merging into an innerarcuate terminal wall 27. The pockets or seats 24 are in transverse alinement in the two disks and these disks will be in such spaced relation as to effectively carry the bottles which are dis posed to enter the said pockets or seats. The bolts 22 engage the disks 20 and 21 between the pockets or seats and sufiiciently stiffen the carrier to render the latter effective in sustaining the weight of a number of filled bottles and thus provide for the formationof a carrier of comparatively light structure yet strong and durable and reinforced against lateral springing action. The 'pock-' ets or seats 24 are also of such shape as to readily receive thebottles thereinto and posltively hold the bottles in place against accidental displacement and-in view of the inclination of the longer :walli25, a discharge 'ofthe bottles from the carrier is facihtated and rendered positive. Near the outer terminals of the shorter walls 26 of the pockets, anti-frictional rollers 25 are secured on the opposite inner sides of the disks 20 and 21 to cause the bottles in the pockets to roll or 7 the said bottles while they are held within the pockets. The wheel 28 is of such'diameter as to project outwardly a slight distance beyond the inner portion of each pocket 24 to thereby have the covering 29 engage the bottles. In view of the difference of the rate d of rotation of the shafts 15' and 16, the bottles in the slower moving carrier 19 will be sub ected to a rotation'by the more rapidly rotating mixing means'28 to thoroughly commlngle or produce homogeneity of the liquid-contents ofthe'bottles before the latter" are dischargedfrom the carrier., The

carrier 19- and agitating means or wheel 28 rotate in reverse directions, as indicated by ment of the conveyerbelt by any of the the arrows, to effecta, rapid rotation of the bottles takennp and held by the carrier.

A downwardly inclined'receiver 30 is disposed in advance of the carrier 19 and rotary parts of the mechanism.

mixing means or wheel 28, the said receiver being supported'by the upright 7, and havthereof,

the conveyor or belt 5, and adjacent thereto a bottle displacer'32 is mounted and consists of aisegmental arm 33 intermediately fulcrumed, as at 34, "on a bracket 35 extending from the adjacent edge of the receiver 3O. The arm 33 acts similarly to a hook mg a vertical" guard 31 at the front end The receiver 30 pro ects at its upper'front extremity above the plane of70' and at its outer end has a rearwardly extal displacing arm 33 a connecting rod 41 is movably attached and pivoted to the upper end of an actuating lever 42, the latter lever being fulcrumed on the upper portion of the upright 9 and depending at such an angle and at such distance from the outer or front disk 20 of the carrier as to be regularly engaged by the bolt extensions or nuts 7 To the QXtGIlSlOH or attaching arm 37 of the segmeu- 23 of the bolts 22 and thereby tripthe lever 7 42 atintervals and effect a drawing action 'on the connect ng rod 41 and cause the segmental arm and separator 3.6 to. move in? wardly or swing in a curved line over the upper portion of the conveyor belt 5 against the resistance of the, spring 38. The arm 33 and separator 36 continue to move inwardly over the belt Sin the arc of a circle as long as the projecting extremities or nuts '23 of the bolts 22 engage the lever 42', but as soon as the said projections or'nuts ride off the lower end of the lever as the carrier rotates the spring 38 comes into play and restores all theparts of the displacer including the connecting rod'41 and lever 42, to'normal position ready for a subsequent similar operation'. v 1' I The bottles are discharged from the pockets or seats 24 of the carrier onto a downwardly inclined table or support 43 held by the upper extreniityof the upright 12 and carrying atits lower side abottle receiver 44 having an upper comparatively narrow inclined trough 45 regularly merging into a vertical chute 46 with a rear open side 47 and' an open bottom 48, the chute'46 standing-over the conveyer or'belt All ofthe parts of thejmechanism or improved" apparatus or attachment are so ar-\ ranged as to clear the belt when disposed close to thelatter, and there will; therefore,

be no interference with the regular move- As an auxiliary feature, a segmental sh'ield49 is applied-adjacent to the outer side of the disk of the carrier 19 and held by the uprights 8 and 11, the purpose of this shield being'to prevent the bottles from slipping longitudinally outof place in the peelets or seats 21! This shield l9, while not absolutely necessary, will be found to be an eiiective attachment to the improved mechanism. Under ordinary conditions the bottles will maintain their engagementwith the pockets or seats .Z-l owing to the weight of the bottles and contents thereof, but as a precaution against any unusual movement of the bottles in the pockets or seats the shield is used.

From the foregoing explanation the simple operationot the improved mechanism or attachment will be readily understood. is

' the bottles B are brought up to the location of the receiver 30 by the conveyor or belt 5, they will be individually engaged by the displacer and particularly by the arm 33, which bears on the bottles at a distance above the bottoms thereot, and each bottle will be pushed laterally towards thereceiver and strike the projecting portion ot the edge of the receiver and be turned over in a horizontal position and roll by gravitation towards the lower end the receiver and be so held by the peripheral edges o't'the disks 2O and 21 until a pocket is brought into engagingrelat-ion to the bottle. when the latter rolls into the pocket and is taken upwardly the carrier, the displacer just prior to the engagement of the bottle with a pocket or seat in the carrier having returned to normal position for receiving a subsequent bottle, which is similarly shifted. laterally and overturned into a horizontal position. and so on in connection. with all succeeding bottles that are transmitted by the conveyor or belt 5 within operative on 'ement with the arm ot the displacer. As the arm 33 'arcuately moves inwardly over the conveyor or belt 5, the separator 36 sii'nilarly moves over the conveycr and scrvcs to space the bottles, and particularly the bottlesnext in rear to that engaged by I fl'OWtllllg oi? the bottles against the dis-placer and to permit; the latter to regularly operate in renmving the bottles trom the, ronveyer or belt and disposing them on the receiver Zltl. The bottles taken up by the pockets or seats are rapidly rotated by the rot. y mixing means or wheel, 28, and as the said pockets rise towards and reach their highest elevation, it will be seen that the weightot the bottles and their contents will insure a positive engagement thereof with the said rotary mixing means or wheel and cause the contents to be thoroughly commingled. When each bottle-charged pocket or seat 2 arrives adjacent to the table 43, or when the longer inclined wall 25 of the pocket or seat alines with the inclined top of the table 43, the bottle rolls or gravitates from the pocket close to and ot the vertical chute the arm 33. to prevent onto the table and then from the latter into the trough 45 and is tilted downwardly, in view of the inclination of the trough bottom, and gradually turned vertically into the chute n; by reason of the fact that the heavicr body portion of the bottle is disposed on the lower part oi the trough bottom and tree to enter the upper open end The bottle drops in upright position through the chute l6 and is regularly replaced on the belt and moved. by the latter through the rear open side ll of the chute. This operation is similar in connection with each bottle, and in view of the number of pockets the carrier will. take up and be changed with a plurality of the bottles at one time, and thereby the mixing agitation will be effected in relation to a number o't bottles and their contents and the bottles so treated rapidly discharged onto the belt and replaced in upright position in the manner explained.

\Vhat is claimed is:

l. A mixing attachment mechanism consisting of a rotary carrier having peripheral means for holding bottles. a rotary mixing meanswithin the carrier having a greater speed of rotation than the latter, and means tor effecting placement of filled bottles in the carrier for engagement by the mixing means.

2. A mixing attachment mechanism consisting of a rotary carrier having peripheral means for holding bottles, a rotary mixing device within the carrier having a more rapid rotation than the latter, means for etl'ccting placement of bottles in the carrier, and means upon which the bottles are discharged from the carrier.

23.;A mixing attachment n chanism com sisting of a rotary carrier having peripheral means for holding bottles in horizontal posi tion. a rotary mixing device within the carrier having a greater rate of speed than the latter, and means for automatic: lly diiposing tilled bottles from an upright position into a horizontal position placement thereof in the carrier.

i, A. mixing attachment mechanism consisting of a rotarycarrier having peripheral means for holding, bottles in horizontal position. a rotary mixing device within the ca ricr having a greater rate of speed than the latter, means for automatically disposing filled bottles from an upright position into a horizontal position and etleeting placement thereof in the carrier, and r a table upon which the bottles are discharged from the carrier in horizontal position having means associated therewith for restoring the bottles to upright position.

5. A. mixing organization consisting of a rotary carrier having peripheral means for receiving bottles, and a rotary mixing means within the carrier for engaging and rotating the bottles and having a greater speed of rotation than the said carrien 6. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a conveyor for transporting filled and sealed bottles in upright positions thereon, of a mixing mechanism disposed adjacent to the conveyor and consisting of means for removing the bottles from the conveyer and disposing the bottles filled and capped bottles are disposed in upright positions, of means for removing the bottles from the conveyor and turning them into horizontal positions, means for receiving the bottles in horizontal positions and effecting a thorough mixing of the contents, thereof and including a rotary carrier and rotary mixing element having a relative difference in speed of rotation, and a device upon which, the bottles are discharged in horizontal positions provided with means 7 for restoring the bottles-to upright positions and replacing them on the conveyor.

8. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a conveyor upon which filled and capped bottles are disposed of means for removing the bottles from the conveyor andalso for replacing the bottles on the eonveyen'and rotary carrying meansbctween thepoint of removal and replacement of the bottles in addition-to the carrying operationthereof relatively to the conveyor provided with means for individually rotating the bottles to mix the contents thereof.

. 9; In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a conveyor upon which gfilled and capped bottles are disposed, of

means for removing the bottles from the .conveyer and also replacing the bottles on the conveyor, and rotary carrying means'between the points of removal and replacement of'the bottles relatively to the con veyer having a device for individually rotating the bottles at a higher speed of. rota-' tion than the rotation of the carrying means to mix the contents thereof.

.10. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a conveyor upon which filled and capped bottlesrare disposed, of means for removing the bottles from s conveyor and other means' t'or replacing the bottles on the conveyor, and means between the points or removal and the bottles relatively to the conveyor for bodily transferring the bottles from one point to the other and at the same time inclividually rotating the bottles at a higher rate of speed than the speed of t'anster thereof for agitating the contents of each bottle for thoroughly mixing the said contents.

11. In a mechanism of the class saecified, the combination with a conveyor upon which filled and capped bottles are disposed, of means for removingthe bottles from the conveyor and replacing the bottles on the latter, and carrying means between the points of removal and replacement of the bottles relativelyto the conveyer havin a bottle rotating device associated therewith, the carrying means and bottle rotating device having reverse directions of rotation.

12. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a conveyor upon which filled and capped bottles are disposed, carrymeans adjacent to the conveyor for transferring the bottles from one point to another relatively to the conveyor andhav replacement of ing a series of'pocke'ts withanti-frictional V rollers exposed therein, a bottle .rotatingfdevice associated with the carrying. means, the carrying means and bottle'rotating device moving inreverse directions, and means for rcmovingthe bottles from the conveyor-tor engagement by the carrying means and replacing the bottleson the conveyerirom the carrying means.

In a-Vmechanism'ot the class specified, bottle agitating means consisting of a carrierhaving a bottle rotatingdevico disposed therein and operating rcversely to the carrier.

14. In a mechanism of the class specified, a bottle carrying means having pockets with anti-frictional rollers exposed therein t r engagement .with. the bottles held by the pockets, and a bottle rotating deviceassociated with the bottle carrying means and moving in a direction reverse to the direction of movement of saidcarryingmeans.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit; nesses.

WILLIAM B. DOE. Witnesses HENRY C. Gononn, JAMEs M; COLEMAN. 

